124 ANNUAL REPORT 



SUCCESSFUL ORCHARDING. 



By William Duff us, of Lake Cify, Minn. 



My orchard consists of about one hundred and fifty trees of 

 Duchess, Wealthy, Minnesota, Tetofski, Orange, Early Strawberry, 

 Transcendent, Hyslop, and other kinds of crabs. It is located on 

 a high, nearly level prairie, sloping a little to the north. On the 

 north and west sides, is an oak grove; on the east, a row of poplars, 

 and a few scattering soft maples on the south. The soil is a clay 

 with a little black loam on top, and a clay sub-soil. 



Some of the trees in the orchard were planted fourteen, 

 and some eighteen years ago. I cultivated them till about eight 

 years ago and then seeded the orchard down, and have since used 

 it for a calf pasture. 



Since the orchard commenced to bear I have never failed of hav- 

 ing a good crop, although, of course, some years a better one than 

 others. Last year the yield was larger than I ever had before, 

 gathering two barrels of Wealthy, twenty-five barrels of Minneso- 

 ta, (and not an unsound one in the lot), and more Duchess than I 

 knew what to do with. 



I sold over $100 worth from my orchard besides what we used 

 and gave away. I have Duchess trees that bore eight barrels 

 apiece this year, and had to cull them out, to keep the limbs from 

 breaking. They hung down like weeping willows. 



The wind does not blow my apples off much, arid the codling 

 moth does not trouble them. I have never seen sounder apples 

 than I grow. 



Of the varieties I have tried, I would plant Duchess, Minnesota, 

 Orange, Early Strawberry, Tetofsky and a few Wealthy. The 

 Wealthy is the best apple I grow, but the trees do not stand so 

 well as the rest. I also had three or four barrels of Tetofsky. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Thiellman. I live about five miles from Mr. Duffus. He 

 has a very nice orchard on land that inclines to the north. It is 

 protected partly by oak and partly by poplar and one thing or an- 

 other. He has raised quite a large quantity of apples, and has 

 been more successful than any one in that part of the country. 

 The soil is clay lcam. He has never had any hogs in his orchard 

 that I know of. 



I wish to have that hog question discussed more fully whenever 

 we have time. 



Prof. Green. Does he put any mulch around his trees? 



Mr. Thiellman. I have never seen him. 



A member. Is it seeded down in grass? 



Mr. Thiellman. Yes. 



Dr. Perkins. How many calves does he keep in his orchard? 



